Monday, January 21, 2019

Lake Martin News

Eliminate Mosquitoes from Your Lake Martin Yard

If you like to relax outside during evenings at your Lake Martin home, watching the sunset or drinking a cold beverage under the light of the moon, you shouldn’t have to worry about mosquitoes biting you while you relax and unwind from the day. The Haynie Team is here to fill you in with some tips on how you can prevent mosquitoes from hanging out with you in your yard!

Alexander City began their mosquito abatement program in May, and the truck makes rotating routes all summer long, through October. This helps out a lot!

However, if you’ve got any standing water in your yard, this could create a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Here are a few tips to help you rid yourself of bites this summer:

1. Remove any standing water in or around your property. This includes buckets, wheel barrows, clogged gutters, old tires, bird baths, potted plants, etc. Even the smallest puddle could cause an issue.

2. If you can’t dump a source of standing water, treat it with mosquito-fighting granules or briquets. Look for products containing Bti, not methoprene or pesticides, which are toxic to fish, can cause dogs to get sick, and can irritate your skin. (Luckily, mosquitoes have no interest in chlorinated swimming pools, so you don’t have to treat those.)

3. Hire a professional to come spray, so you know it’s done properly For example, Mosquito Authority is a local business that will come spray your Lake Martin yard every few weeks or as needed.

4. Add fans to your space. Mosquitoes can’t fight even the slightest breeze. Keep them away with table fans, or better yet, add a ceiling fan to your covered porch or patio to keep them away for good.

5. Decorate with citronella candles, or plant citronella in your yard. This plant is known to keep mosquitoes away, and it smells pretty good, too! Candles can make a nice, soothing addition to your outdoor lighting. Just be sure to blow them out when you go inside.

6. Wear repellent. We know it isn’t pleasant to spray yourself with insect repellent all the time, but it does usually work! Apply lotion or spray with DEET continually throughout the night, or opt for a more natural approach by making a spray with bug-repellent essential oils, such as peppermint, eucalyptus or lemon. There are also many herbs that you can pot or plant, with odors that mosquitoes don’t like.

7. Cover up. Mosquitoes love sweat and bacteria, so the more skin you can cover up, the less they’ll have to bite. The easiest part of the body to cover up is your feet, which these pests happen to love, so wear some socks and shoes outside! Light colors are also better than dark colors.

These are some great ways to keep mosquitoes at bay this summer while enjoying your outdoor space and your beautiful Lake Martin views! When you’re ready to work toward achieving your Lake Martin real estate market goals this summer, contact us, The Haynie Team! We’re here and ready answer your questions and to help you buy, sell or both!